1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is batching systems for controlling and monitoring batching processes in which two or more ingredients are brought together in predetermined amounts and mixed to provide a product having a specific formula.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The control and monitoring of batching processes for many years have used a number of different designs on relay logic, electromechanical timers and controllers, and solid state logic. These systems generally use punched paper tape or card readers to control formulas or recipes to be batched. This equipment is often unreliable and the cards and paper are subject to wear. Confirmation of formula data is difficult to determine visually.
In more recent times batching systems using computers for the control of batching processes have been used successfully but such batching systems, due to the cost of computers, is justified only for a large-scale batching operation. The availability of mini-computers as a substitute for computers has not permitted extension of use of the batching system to small-scale batching process equipment. Those systems have used various combinations of large process computers or minicomputers, disks, drums, CRTs, line printers, large grapical panels, etc.